I think it's going to make the WRC even more boring than it already is. Ridiculously high limits for the performance of the cars, especially when it comes to road holding/grip will basically turn the WRC into F1 on gravel (it already is, but I digress). Less sliding, cars will be even less sideways.

I like the concept, but they should limit suspension travel. Would make the rally much more interesting, the cars would move around a lot more.

Have you guys actually watched any WRC rounds lately? It's insane, the spectacle is definitely there, the cars are still plenty sideways, going faster than any other form of WR car ever, getting more air etc.

I'm personally not excited about the 2017 cars new body work, with the cars going wider. I think the biggest fault of the WRC and the past 16 years of WR cars have been lack of relate-ability. The current WR car already looks nuts, you see it sitting still and expect it to go 200mph & fly thru the air. This wasn't the case during the Gr.A period and early World Rally cars. The visual spectacle of seeing a big four door sapphire like the one your mom drives sliding around on a forest road is more impact-full than seeing a WRC fiesta do what it looks like its supposed to do.

All of your arguments, in my opinion, take away from the rawness of rally. Yes, the cars are jumping farther. Yes, the speeds are higher. And yet its all so relatively effortless (on the car's part, obviously the drivers are busting ass at all times).

I will admit, I started watching again, and the COMPETITION is much more exciting than at almost any point in the past 5 years. But the cars are boring as hell.

Right. I'm sure they should consult you because you're more in touch. It's not like their fan base hasn't been growing steadily over the few years or anything.
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So? Are you saying that the fanbase is growing due to the cars?

I sincerely doubt that, correlation != causation. The fanbase is growing because of the increased accessibility to media, which I applaud. But saying its because of the cars... well, you can think what you want. Doesn't make it right

If the goal is ultimate viewership, then they should just make another F1. Boom, done, WRC is famous... except it isn't rally then :p

And if they REALLY wanted people to be interested in the cars, they'd throw caution to the wind and allow wide open rules, just like they did with groupB. If you made modern groupB cars, considering the success of GRC and WRX, people wouldn't care if rally was for the "terminally gormless" as a famous broadcaster once said. Clearly manufacturers see something to be desired in the sport of rally for advertising purposes, and they already spend oodles of money. They just spend oodles of money working around the current rules, rather than developing crazy ideas.

Quotedreamsofjvl
If I was interested in outright speed, I'd watch drag racing or F1.

All of your arguments, in my opinion, take away from the rawness of rally. Yes, the cars are jumping farther. Yes, the speeds are higher. And yet its all so relatively effortless (on the car's part, obviously the drivers are busting ass at all times).

I will admit, I started watching again, and the COMPETITION is much more exciting than at almost any point in the past 5 years. But the cars are boring as hell.

Oh, and the 2017 WRC Toyota sounds like ASS :barf:

Somebody with a little experience and not raised up in the era of 20 something children driving AWD turbo Subarus boringly could very well say the same thing about all those guys who drive cars with all those crutches at the local level.... particularly when one watches just how timidly all but 2 or 3 guys drive them....often beaten by guys in humble 2wd cars....with one diff and no turbo.

But really who gives a flying fuck what some inter-net hero with no name says. If a guy can't stand beside their words then they're just a useless pile of shit. Especially if all they've ever done driving is a long string of crashes...Like you.